The present invention generally relates to apparatuses used in forming multiple connector wire harnesses, and more particularly to such an apparatus having an improved wire feeding and measuring assembly which provides any desired combination of different wire lengths for the harnesses so formed.
Multiple connector wire harnesses are well known in the art and typically comprise a primary, or "parent" connector, a number of secondary, or "child" connectors and a plurality of wires extending in sets of different wire lengths between and terminated at their opposite ends to the parent and child connectors. This type of wire harness is widely used in making electrical connections between different electric machines and apparatuses.
The lengths between the parent connector and its subsidiary child connectors depends on the distances between different electric machines and apparatuses to be connected. It is therefore necessary to provide multiple connector wire harnesses having desired combinations of different wire lengths to meet occasional demands for connecting electric machines and apparatuses placed at different positions.
In a conventional wire measuring apparatus, the desired different lengths of wires are fed linearly. This linear feeding advantageously permits such feeding without significantly bending or curling any of the wires. However, such a wire feeding apparatus occupies a relatively large space. In another conventional wire feeding apparatus, the wires are fed by pushing selected sets of wires down into a cavity for a predetermined distance which results in the desired wire length. This is done with the aid of associated wire loopers. However, it has been found that in using loopers to feed wires, significant curling may be imparted to the wires, even though the feeding apparatus occupies a relatively small space.